Title
Resolution to Order Election and to Determine Ballot Question for Charter Amendment for the 2027 Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk Millage (7 Votes Required, Roll Call Vote)
Memorandum
For approximately 46 years the Street Resurfacing/Reconstruction Millage, augmented with matching funds from Federal and State grants, has been the principal funding source for repair, resurfacing, and reconstruction of the City’s streets and bridges; and recently the repairs of sidewalks.
In 1988, 1991, 1996, 2001, and 2006 the voters in Ann Arbor approved the collection of two mills annually for the resurfacing and reconstruction of streets. These millages, replaced a prior major street millage (1.5 mills for five years beginning in 1984), and prior bond issues ($3M in 1982 and 1986) and general funds for local streets.
In 2011, 2016, and 2020 the voters in Ann Arbor approved the collection of up to 2.125 mills annually for the resurfacing and reconstruction of streets and bridges, and for the repair of sidewalks by the City. The passage of this millage, combined with the associated modifications to City Code, removed the responsibility of performing sidewalk repairs in the public right-of-way from the adjacent property owners and placed it upon the City. The last of the most recent millage will be collected in July 2026.
If approved by Council, on November 3, 2026 voters will be asked to approve a 2.125-mill Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk Millage for the next six years following the expiration of the current millage (2027-2032). This single millage would replace the 2022-2026 Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk Millage. If approved, this amounts to $317 annually for a property with an average taxable value of $150,000.00. As was done with the 2022-2026 Millage, the 2027-2032 Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk Millage will be used for three primary purposes: 1) Street and bridge repair, resurfacing, and reconstruction projects; 2) the City’s match for federal aid funds for major street and bridge projects; and 3) repair of sidewalks.
The first purpose includes the Annual Street Resurfacing Program, which addresses the resurfacing of residential and major streets as a single large project. It also includes street projects that are bid individually, often along with associated utility work, bridge replacement, and capital maintenance. During the 2021-2025 construction seasons an average of 18 miles of local and major streets have been maintained, resurfaced, or reconstructed annually; with the Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk Millage being the primary source of funding for these projects. The Street Reconstruction Millage has generated approximately $85M from fiscal year 2021-2026 to fund these types of projects.
The second area includes utilizing the Millage as a local match to leverage federal aid funds for such major street projects as Scio Church, Platt, Plymouth, State, Ellsworth, Hill, Nixon, Pauline, Seventh, Packard, the East Medical Center Drive bridge, and several smaller safety and non-motorized improvement projects. In the years 2022-2026, the City used the Millage to leverage approximately $13.4M of federal aid funds. Information regarding street work performed under the previous millage will be available soon on the Millage webpage: www.a2gov.org/StreetMillage.
The third area includes the repair of sidewalks throughout the City. During the 2022-2025 construction seasons, the equivalent of approximately 6¼ miles of sidewalk have been replaced and an additional 18,400 sidewalk slabs have been repaired. Additional work is still pending for the 2026 construction season.
City Staff is currently updating its Pavement Asset Management Plan. The idea behind this plan is to optimize strategic spending of road funding by increasing investment at the midpoint of their life cycle, rather than only at the end. Employing this strategy allows the Millage resources to be put to optimal use and maximize the miles of road treated annually; thereby increasing the overall conditions of the streets in the City.
Should voters approve the 2027 Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk Millage in November 2026, the first year of funds will be collected in July 2027 and will be applied to projects to be constructed in the 2028 construction season.
Staff
Prepared by: Nicholas Hutchinson, P.E., City Engineer
Reviewed by: Jordan Roberts, Public Services Area Administrator
Approved by: Milton Dohoney, City Administrator
Body
Whereas, The Street Reconstruction Millage has been the principal funding source for the repair, resurfacing, and reconstruction of the City’s streets, bridges, and sidewalks;
Whereas, In November 2020 the voters approved a 2.125-mill Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk Millage for the repair and replacement of streets, bridges, and sidewalks throughout the City; and
Whereas, the Section 8:20 of the Ann Arbor City Charter currently reads:
Funds for Streets, Bridges, and Sidewalks
SECTION 8.20. In addition to any other amount which the City is authorized to raise by general tax upon the real and personal property by this Charter or any other provision of law, the City shall, in 2022 through 2026, annually levy a tax of up to 2.125 mills on all taxable real and personal property situated within the City for the purpose of providing funds for the repair of streets and bridges, and for repair and construction of sidewalks.
RESOLVED, That the Ann Arbor City Council proposes that the City Charter be amended by modifying Section 8:20 to read as follows:
Funds for Streets, Bridges, and Sidewalks
SECTION 8.20. In addition to any other amount which the City is authorized to raise by general tax upon the real and personal property by this Charter or any other provision of law, the City shall, in 2027 through 2032, annually levy a tax of up to 2.125 mills on all taxable real and personal property situated within the City for the purpose of providing funds for the repair of streets and bridges, and for repair and construction of sidewalks.
RESOLVED, That November 3, 2026 is designated as the day for holding an election on the proposed Charter amendment;
RESOLVED, That the Clerk shall transmit a copy of the proposed amendment to the Attorney General and the Governor of Michigan and shall perform all other acts required by law for holding the election;
RESOLVED, That the proposed Charter amendment shall appear on the ballot in the following form:
ANN ARBOR CITY CHARTER AMENDMENT
TAX FOR STREET, BRIDGE, AND SIDEWALK REPAIR
AND REPLACEMENT
Shall the Charter be amended to authorize a new tax up to 2.125 mills for street and bridge repair and for sidewalk repair and construction for 2027 through 2032 to replace the previously authorized tax up to 2.125 mills for street and bridge repair and for sidewalk repair and construction for 2022 through 2026, which will raise in the first year of levy the estimated revenue of $19,236,316? In accordance with State law, a portion of the millage may be subject to capture by the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority and the Washtenaw County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority.
¨ Yes ¨ No
RESOLVED, That the proposed Charter amendment and proposed ballot question shall be published in full not fewer than two times in the Washtenaw County Legal News; and
RESOLVED, That if the amendment is adopted, it shall take effect on January 1, 2027.